Tagne



P. P. LA MONTAGNE.

KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13. I9I8- RENEWED JUNE I4. l9l9.

Patented Dec. 23, 1919 2 SHEETSSHEET I. v

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P. P. LA MONTAGNE.

KNITTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13, I918- RENEWED JUNE 14, 1919.

1,325,644. Patented Dec. 23,1919.

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PaTricK P'LaMoniugne by WMXW Aflys.

UNITED" STATES PATENT oFmoE.

PATRICK 1-. LA MONTAGNE, or BOURBONNAIS, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR To PAR/AMOUNT KNITTING ooivrrnn or CHICAGO, rumors, A CORPORATION or ,nmnvors.

KNITTING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 13, 1918, Seria1 No. 222,059. Renewed June 14, 1919. Serial No. 304,278.

To all whom itxmay concern:

Be it known that I PATRICK TAGNE, a citizen of the. United States, resid- 1ng at Bourbonnais, county, of Kankakee',

5 State of Illinois, have invented an Improvement in K'nitting-lVIachines, of which the following description, 'in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to knitting ma chines of that-type employing the so-called 1 separate latch needle and the mainobject of the invention is to provide means for m suring the positioning of the yarn in the path of the needle so that it will be caught by the hook and covered by the latch.

In knittin machines employing, the ordinary'type of pivoted latchneedle the hook is constructed so as to be entirely in front of the body of the needle, thereby making it possible to feed the yarn directly into the path of the descending hook with -the ordinary method of feeding, and'in the knitting machines employing the spring beardneedle the yarn-is moved up beneath the beard, of the needle so as to come within the hook. 'When, however, the knitting machine comprises the separate latch type of needle,

sofwherein the latch member reciprocates longitudinally with respect to the hookmember in effecting the opening and closing movements of the needle, there is nothing in the needle structure or its operation which inv 85 sures the yarn being properly positioned and being covered by the latch prior to casting ofi. i

In a prior an lication No. 20 5,980 filed December 7, 191

,there is disclosed as a spe- 40 cific embodiment of a broad means for effecting the desired result a bur wheelwhich works .in conjunction with the set of separate latch needles and acts to position the yarn properly in the needles.

The present invention discloses another efiicient means for effecting this same broad result. I b This means comprises a device or; devices bodily movable toward and from the needle bed and acting upon the yarn receiving movement ofeach needle to press the yarn past the tip of the hook sufliciently to insure its being caught by the hook upon 1138 retracting movement; More specifically considered this means consists mthe pro- PfL A MON-- vision upon the usual sinkers of upwa rdly and inwardlyv projecting arms, provided Patent-ed Dec. 23, 1919.

with. yarn contacting faces. opposite the the yarn pastthe tip of the hook and hold it until caught by'the hook.

These and other features and objects of the invention will appear more fully from the accompanying description and drawings a and will be particularly pointed out the claims. 4

-The drawings represent for the purpose of disclosing the-invention a form of knit-1 ting' 'machine of the circular type provided both with a set'of cylinder needles and a set of dial needles, but it will be obvious-that the invention is not to be restricted to any particular type of knittingginachine. So also, the drawings disclosed forthe purpose of illustrating the invention the type of separate latch needle shown in the patent to Pope & Randall No. 1,096,945, granted May 19, 1914, bntit will also be obvious that the invention is not to be restricted to any particular type of separate latch needle. In the drawings, 7 I b Figure 1 is a' vertical transverse section/ of the upper'p'ortion of a knittingmachine of the type disclosed taken chiefly on a plane passing transversely through the cylinder axis" 1 '2 is an, enlarged detail showing a.-

cylinder needle, a dialvneedl'e, a sinker and the immediately adjacent portions of the machine ill-position generally similar to that .1

shown in Fig. 1'; v I v Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic plan with" the spacing exaggerated of "a section of thef cylinder needles, the sinkers, the yarn guide' and yarn 'to show the position taken'by the 1 sinkers in effecting the position of the yarn,

the yarn ide being located above the path of the sin ers;

Fig, 4 is a plan of a sinker cani suitable I for effecting thev operation 'ofthe' sinkers illustrated'in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a'view'similar to Fig; 3 showing the arrangement when the yarn guide is located in thepath of the sinkers;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the cam path as adaptedfor the operation illustrated in Fig. 5. i

The knitting machine illustrated in the drawings is'particularly adapted for the knitting of ribbed leg stpckings and contains provision therein for the knitting of plain, circular and ribbed work but as the details of such machines are well .known and familiar to those skilled in the art and are not involved in the present invention they are not illustrated and described save so far as is necessary for a disclosure of the present invention.

The frame of the machine supports a top bed plate 1-and includes a standard 2 containing a bearing for the main power transmitting shaft 3. The bed plate is provided with a depending tubular bearing 4 in which is mounted the tubular needle cylinder carrier 5.

V wider superimposed groove 10.

Each hook member as disclosed in the aforesaid Patent No: 1,096,945 is provided with the usual hook 11 and butt 12 and is transversely and longitudinally slotted beneath the hook'for the passage of the latch. Each latch has a bentshank 13 frictionally engaging the walls of its slot and a head 14 riding through the slot in the hook member. Cooperating shoulders on the hook and latch members secure the reciprocation of the latch member from the hook member to effect the opening and closing movements all in a well known and familiar manner to this type of needle. 7

The butts-12 of the hook members are guided between the bars 15 of a. skeleton cylinder and contact with the usual cams for effecting the proper reciprocation of the needles. The lower or projecting cam 16 is illustrated on the cam carrier 17 mounted for rotary movementin the bed plate 1. This cam carrier 17 is locked to and rotates with the gear ring 18 also mounted for rotation in the bed plate 1. This gear ring on its lower surface is provided with beveled teeth 19 by means of which it engages and is driven by a beveled gear 20 on the shaft 3.

The machine is shown as provided with sinkers which except for the embodiment therein of the novel features of this invention are of a wellknown type. In performing their sinking function the sinkers are withdrawn at the knitting point and thereafter moved inwardly to carry the loops over their outer ends in an annular sinker guide 24 also secured by set screws 25 to the exterior of the needle cylinder 6. A sinker cam ring 26 in which is formed or to which is attached the cam for securing the operation of the sinkers is provided with a depending annular flange 27 which rests in an annular recess in the annular sinker guide 24 so that the sinker cam ring is rotarily mounted thereon. The rotary movement of the sinker cam ring with the gear ring 18 is secured by a pair of oppositely disposed posts 28 and 29 projecting upwardly from the gear ring 18 and engaging projections 30 and 31 respectively from the sinkerv cam ring.

The type of knitting machine shown for the purpose of illustration is equipped for performing ribbed work and for that-purpose a dial and a set of dial needles are shown. In the construction illustrated the dial mechanism is supported from the sinker cam ring 26. For this purpose oppositely disposed posts 32 and 33 are secured in the flanged portion of the sinker cam ring 26 and these posts carry a yoke 34 provided with a central hub 35 through which the dial shaft 36 extends. This dialshaftcarries a usual form of dial 37 radially grooved on its upper surface at 38 and 39 to receive and carry respectively the latch members 40 and the hook members 41 of the separate latch dial needles of the. general type shown, for example; in the. patent to Pope & Randall No. 1,096,946 granted May 19, 1914. The butts 42 of the hook members of these dial needles are operated by the dial cam 43 supported on the dial shaft 36 inthe usual manner.

For simplicity of disclosure a single yarn feed is shown. \The yarn passes down through a guide eye 45 in the yoke 34 through a yarn guide 46 carriedby the sinker cam ring 26 and located immediately above the sinkers at the knitting point.

This description of the typeof knitting machine illustrated will be suflicient to disclose to those skilled in the artthe general construction and operation of the machine which hasbeen selected for the purpose of disclosing the" present invention.

In the case of the separate latch type of knitting machine needle it is desirable that the needle should have a short throw and also as short a slot in the hook member as possible in order that the needle may be rigid. This results in bringing the cheek 4.7M the hook memberwell up toward the hook and also requires that it shall be high or of maxlmum transverse cross section that purpose each sinkermay be provided yarnis fed to the needle it will come oppoproperly to guide the latch member. But

5' point so that it is' liable. not be caught by the book. It is desirable, therefore, and necessary if the'needle is constructed in its best form, to provide means for positively moving the yarnwhen fed into the path of the hook. V When both the dial and cylinder needles are in operation, as in knitting ribbed work, then the dial needles act to draw the yarn into the path of the hook of the cylinder needles. But when the dial needles are out of operation or when the machine is not provided with dial needles then it becomes desirable or necessary to provide means for positively moving the yarnwhen fed into the path of the hook'member of the needle.

For this purpose the inventionprovides means which are bodily movable toward and from theneedle bed and which act upon the yarn receiving movement of the needle thus insure" its being caught by the hook. Such a means may, as herein'illustrated, be conveniently embodied in the usual sinkers employed in the machineone form of which is illustrated herein. For

with an upwardly and inwardly projecting arm having a yarn contacting face opposite the needle throat-whenthe needle is in its yarn receiving position so that when the site the yarn contactin face of this arm. If the desired means is fims embodied in the sinkers it follows that the sinkers must be given amovement somewhat different from or additional to that required solely for the performance of the sinking function. Hence .the cam'for 'the'sinkers is disclosed as altered 'or modified to cause the sinkers at each side of'the needleto which the yarn is fed first to retract as usual next to project just sufficiently to cause the yarn against. the. contacting face of the arm to be pressed'past the tip of thehook and held until caught by the, hook, next to retract slightly and then tov project as usual to effect their usual function. This additiona-l'slight projecting -and'retracting-movement given to the sinkers ove their ordinary movements is necessary cause otherwise the yarn would be crimp d would thus prevent the proper drawing in. .Of the loops.

When the machine contains as illustrated f a set of dial needles operating in-conjunc-' tion with the cylinder needles at-required times for making ribbed work then the sinkers must also be so constructed as to provide for the operation of the dial needles. For this purpose the arm which is added to the to (press the yarn, past the tip of the hook an by the sinkers 'in succession and sinker is. so constructed as to leave a recess between it and the body of the sinker sufficient for the operation of the dial needle.

Inthe specific embodiment .of the invention shown each sinker is provided with a butt 48 riding in a cam groove 49, the walls 1 of which obvlously may not be continuous as illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 4 but are located wherever necessary to give the required movements. Each slnker is. provided with an arm 50 projecting upwardly from the body of the sinker and inwardly or forwardly toward theneedles. When the dial needles are employed this arm 50 springs outwardly and then. forwardly to leave a recess 51 for the passage of the dial needles when in useso that there may be no interference with the dial needles; This.

arm presents a yarn contacting face 52 which when the needle as 7 is in yarn receiving position comes opposite the throat oftheneedle. l

Referring now to F1g.-3 of the drawing which illustrates the sinkers and needles in a diagrammatic manner and much exaggerated as to spacing the operation will be clear. The cam for. operating the sinkers is constructed symmetrically with respect to the line 53. The sinker cam and yarn guide 46 are indicated as moving in the direction of, the arrow 54.. In the usual operation of the'sinkers the cam acts to retract the sinkers froni'the inwardly projected sinking position a, gradually until the sinkers are well retracted clear of the needles as from 6 to l past the knitting point and then the sinkers are gradually projected again to the position 12 correspondlngto the position a. If the machine is rotating in the opposite direction the reverse action takes place.

position 7 is, at its highest point of projection and as the yarn extends from the preceding needles wrapping-around the cylinder to the yarn guide 46 it is held out of the-path of the hook, as the needle moves slightly downward into it'spos'ition 7",. by the cheek of the. needle and consequently the yarn would not be caught by the hook as the needle is retracted. Consequently the cam for actuating the sinkers is so formed that as the needle starts downward the sinkers ing moved inwardly carrying the'yarn into In the present invention the needle in the position and the needle in position 7 is moving downwardly. As this action continues the sinkers are retracted as the needle reaches the position where the latch closes over the hook until the sinkers are back in their normal position at k and I. Then the sinkers aremoved inwardly again in the usual manner to perform their sinking function. As the cam is made symmetrical it follows that if the rotation takes place in the opposite direction the action will be similarbut reversed.

The inward projection of the sinkers is comparatively slight as shown at positions It and z and only sufficient to cause the yarn to be pushed beneath the tip of the hook and then the sinkers are immediately retracted because if the sinkers were projected too far inwardly and were not immediately withdrawn the yarn would be so crimped that, as the needles draw down, the loops-could not be pulledinto the fabric and the yarn might bebroken} H A suitable form of sinker cam is illustrated in Fig. 4 wherein the section 55 of the cam path-is that designed for the sinkers when in their innerp'rojected position for pushing the yarn into the path of the book,

of the needle. y In the construction illustrated in Fig. 3 the yarn guide 46 is assumed to be above the path of the sinkers and above the path of the arms 50. If it is desired to bring the yarn guide closer to the hook and in a lower plane this can be done by providing a more extended. retraction of the sinkers at the knitting point so that they will pass behind the yarn guide and this arrangement is shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The only difier 'ence is that the cam path-4C9 at the sections 56 is arranged to retract the sinkers more than in the other casevat the section 57 to give them a more extended projection to carry them to thesame positionfor pushing the yarn beneath the hook illustrated in Fig. 3.

It will thus be seen that in either case the sinkers are successively retracted at. the knitting point, then successively projected partway to place the yarn in the throat of the needle receiving the yarn, then successively retracting again, and then succe s sively projected again to secure their usual function. Consequently the precise number of sinkers engaged at .one time in pushing the yarn into the path of the needle may vary, one being sufficient ifv the machine 7 always rotates in one direction, two being sufiicient if the machine rotates in either direction, and more being permited or required so long as they are retracted in time to prevent undesirable crimping of the yarn.

When a set of dial needles is employed the dial needles themselves act to draw the yarn into position beneath the hook of the cylinder needles and at this time the arms 50 of the sinkers are not necessary but their (peration is harmless and as has been explained a recess 51 is provided in each nsaaeaa reciprocable between said needles, upwardly and inwardly projecting arms on said sinkers provided with yarn contacting faces opposite the needle throats when-in yarn-receiving position, and means acting to retract the sinkers at the knitting'polnt then 7 to project the sinkers just sufiiciently to cause the yarn contacting faces of one or more thereof to press the yarn past the tip of the hook ofthe needle'and hold it until caught by the hook of the needle as the needle retracts, then to retract the sinkers thus projected, and then again to project the sinkers to effect their usual function.

' 2. A knitting machine comprising a needlecylinder, 2. set of separate latch needles mounted therein, a dial, a set of dial needles mounted therein, a set of sinkers radially reciprocable between said cylinder needles,

upwardly and inwardly projecting'arms on said sinkers provided withyarIf-contacting faces opposite the needle throats when in yarn-receiving position and provided with recesses beneath said arms in line with the corresponding dial needles to permit the projection of the dial needles without interfering with the action of the sinkers, means acting to retract the sinkers at the knittin point then to project the sinkers just su ciently to cause the yarn contacting yarn past the tip of the hook of the cylinder needle and hold it until caught by the hook of the cylinder needle as the cylinder needle retracts, then to retract the sinkers thus pro; jected, and then again to project the sinkers to eiiect their usual function.

3. A knitting machine comprising a needle bed, a set of separate latch knitting needles faces of one ormore thereof to press the mounted therein and-means bodily movable toward and from said bed and acting upon the retracting movement of each needle to press the yarn past the tip of the needlehook and insure its being caught by the hook. p I

4. A knitting machinecomprising a needle bed,aset'of separate latch knitting needles mounted therein and means bodily movable toward and from sai'dbed and acting upon the retracting movement of each needle to press and hold the yarn in the path ofthe' hook until the latch has closed over the hook.

5. A knitting machine comprising a needle cylinder, a set of separate latch needles mounted therein, a set of yarn-controlling devices radially reciproca'ble between said I l needles and provided With yarn contacting; of the needle as it retracts to receive the faces opposite the needle throats when in yarn and hold the yarn until caught by the yarn-receiving position, and means acting to hook and then toretract said'dev-ices out of 1 retract the said devices at the knitting point contact With the yarn.

5 then to project one or more of said devices In testimony whereof, I havesigned my just sufiiciently to cause the yarn contacting name to this specification. faces thereof to press the yarn past the hook PATRICK P. LA MONTAGNE. 

